Now online:
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Showing posts with label Film Stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Film Stuff. Show all posts
Sugar Rush Uploaded Finally!
This is the film that I assistant directed all last semester. It most recently gained acceptance to the Austin Film Festival! Yay!
Its actually pretty funny, check it out if you have time!
It looks kinda tiny and squished but I don't know how to change that! Ha.
Its actually pretty funny, check it out if you have time!
It looks kinda tiny and squished but I don't know how to change that! Ha.
The Assistant Director's Bible!
My friend Craig wrote this document on tips for Assistant Directors...its very well-thought out and true, so I thought I'd include it here...just in case there are any aspiring ADs out there!
Close the Set: the Assistant Director’s Bible
by Craig Ormiston
You are in charge. Sure, the director might have the vision and the producer might be paying the bills, but you run the show. Your responsibility, your skill. You keep the clock. You stay under budget. And not to alarm, but you (in part with the key grip) are legally liable for anything that goes wrong. Keep the set safe, happy, and alive.
Ten Verbs of Wisdom for a Healthy Production
1. Inspire. Arouse in your crew an eager want. Remind them that they’re not at a desk. They have the best job in the world. Make them happy about doing what you suggest.
2. Anticipate. Production is like doing a jigsaw puzzle on a waterbed – plan for the worst. Identify at least five things that could go wrong during each scene and plan for them. No shoot is impregnable.
3. Name. A person’s name is the sweetest sound to them in the world. Know everyone’s name. Say it to them often and always embed it in every request.
4. Smile. From the bottom of your heart. It’s contagious. A happy set is an efficient set.
5. Listen. Let each person do the talking. Collect as much information as possible. Know everything.
6. Forgive. Never criticize, condemn or complain. If someone made a mistake, they already know and should not have to hear it again. If they don’t know or make the mistake a second time, call attention to it indirectly.
7. Assure. Encourage crew by making every fault or mishap seem easy to correct. Be confident. If you are not confident, be confident about not being confident. Get people to feel confident about you.
8. Request. Ask questions instead of directly giving orders. Let the other person feel like the idea is his or hers. Nobody likes being told what to do. And nobody likes being yelled at. Do you?
9. Pacify. Avoid arguments. Never tell someone they are wrong. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. If you cannot avoid an argument (or cannot resolve other people’s arguments), do not let the crew see it – move ugly out of the way.
10. Praise. Make each person feel important and necessary. Reward good work with honest and sincere appreciation. Acknowledge what each person is doing right. Commend every improvement.
The Production Meeting
1. Debrief the previous shoot. Always begin with a compliment.
2. Throw down a challenge. Give the crew a reputation to live up to. Your crew will take you more seriously with clean, pretty paperwork. Assume they don’t want to read it, so make it worth looking at.
3. Distribute sides for the upcoming shoot. Read every line of action aloud to the crew. Highlight every little prop, stunt, set dress, costume, vehicle, effect, movement, etc. and stop as you read to ask each department if they’ve got it taken care of.
4. You are in charge of all people and equipment. Make sure both will be there in time for the shoot. Make phone calls. Double check. Call sheets should be detailed and to the point (but never rely on them!). Remind the crew that being on time is late in this business - call time is work time, not coffee chitchat time. If you move call times earlier or later than planned, call each person.
5. You cannot cure a disease by suppressing symptoms. Address problems directly and invite everyone to be honest about their issues. Do not leave the meeting until solutions are reached and hands shake. Discontent grows like a tumor if not treated quickly.
Collaborating With the Director
1. Spontaneity is laziness. Don’t let any director or crew member convince you otherwise. Creativity lies in the battle plan, not the attack. “Wingin’ it” is not an option.
2. Wrangle the director and cinematographer on location or set to walk through the coverage, commit to shots, and schedule them efficiently. Do this as early as possible, but AT LEAST do it the morning before the shoot. Order shots for the day to accommodate lighting and inspire the director to be okay with that. Know every shot better than the director does.
3. Train the director to tell you whether or not he or she likes the take immediately after taking it. If they are not happy and you have time to get it again, announce“we’re going again” without delay. If the director is happy, check with everyone else first. Never announce that you are “moving on” until director, camera, and sound all confirm that they accept the take.
On Set
1. Start the day off with circle time. Get everyone’s attention, wish them a good morning, and inspire them. Take control. Remind everyone about safety and identify specific concerns (no matter how small). Make sure no one has any questions. Get the director to talk the crew through the day’s coverage. Simple and quick. Then orchestrate the first setup.
2. Learn to speak efficiently before you can act efficiently. Tell the truth. Honesty is a virtue. Stick to the facts. Say what you know, not what you think. “I don’t know” is a perfectly acceptable answer. Misinforming is more harmful that saying nothing at all. Teach everyone to do the same.
3. Only three things should ever be happening on a film shoot: rehearsing, lighting, or shooting – and nothing else. Know what we’re waiting for.
4. Remember that everyone read the script.
5. It’s your job to coordinate background. Give extras a role. A name. Specific blocking. Make them feel like actors and not extras. Keep them engaged and away from the craft table.
6. Yelling “quiet on set” is ironic. The crew knows this, too. Set an example. Ask everyone to quiet down quietly if you can. And remember: people like hearing their name; if you target the source of the yap by name, that person will listen.
7. Keep producers and the director up to date on time. Never surprise anyone with the clock. Constantly stay in touch with crew heads. Ask for time estimates AND make your own based on what needs to be done. Set time deadlines and update everyone on the countdown. Five-minute warnings are important.
8. Make sure boom and camera are talking to each other. They should be best friends. If the boom slips into frame, it’s everyone’s fault. Unite the departments.
9. People need to do their job – and nobody else’s. If anyone has a problem or concern about another department or crew member, make sure they tell you first.
10. Keep everyone out of the actor’s eye line. Have your back to them if necessary. Don’t move during a take. Do not let any member of the crew concern themselves with anything outside their department during a take – especially performance. There’s nothing they can do about it anyway.
11. Take good notes. Times, problems, delays, names, injuries, everything. Have your 2nd A.D. help you take notes and monitor attendance.
Rehearsal
1. Keep rehearsal simple. Get the crew to stand where the camera will be. Make sure everyone is paying attention while the director runs through blocking. Then walk through the coverage.
2. Show, don’t tell. Make sure the crew hears AND sees what you and the director imply. Keep everyone on the same page. Invite questions.
3. There are three types of rehearsal: blocking, marking, and tech rehearsal. Blocking demonstrates for the crew where the actors will be so the scene can be lit; marking refines blocking to collect focus and cue marks; and tech runs the scene as it will be shot.
4. When the actors are rehearsing, the crew should be quiet. When the crew is lighting, the actors should be quiet. Keep actors away from set as much as possible and always know where they are. Have the actors present as soon as you are ready for them.
Safety
1. Safety means liability, and liability is omnipresent. The producers dread lawsuits. If you don’t care about safety as an A.D., you are a wallet with a huge hole in it. The fewest accidents happen when you are shooting stunts; accidents usually happen when the shoot is easy.
2. Record every accident on the production report, no matter how small. Always be honest on the report – it is a legal document and will be reviewed. This piece of paper might keep you out of jail.
3. Know where the fire extinguisher and first aid kit is. Keep multiple paths clear as fire exits. Always have an out and let the crew know where it is.
Conclusion
Be yourself and don’t be afraid. Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right. This job is not for the squeamish, but I know you can do it. Making a movie isn’t hard – people are hard. Lead well and you will win. If the day goes well, you get the credit. Don’t stress. Be flexible. Making a film is an organic process. It is an art. Have fun and love your job; if you do, people will love you.
Close the Set: the Assistant Director’s Bible
by Craig Ormiston
You are in charge. Sure, the director might have the vision and the producer might be paying the bills, but you run the show. Your responsibility, your skill. You keep the clock. You stay under budget. And not to alarm, but you (in part with the key grip) are legally liable for anything that goes wrong. Keep the set safe, happy, and alive.
Ten Verbs of Wisdom for a Healthy Production
1. Inspire. Arouse in your crew an eager want. Remind them that they’re not at a desk. They have the best job in the world. Make them happy about doing what you suggest.
2. Anticipate. Production is like doing a jigsaw puzzle on a waterbed – plan for the worst. Identify at least five things that could go wrong during each scene and plan for them. No shoot is impregnable.
3. Name. A person’s name is the sweetest sound to them in the world. Know everyone’s name. Say it to them often and always embed it in every request.
4. Smile. From the bottom of your heart. It’s contagious. A happy set is an efficient set.
5. Listen. Let each person do the talking. Collect as much information as possible. Know everything.
6. Forgive. Never criticize, condemn or complain. If someone made a mistake, they already know and should not have to hear it again. If they don’t know or make the mistake a second time, call attention to it indirectly.
7. Assure. Encourage crew by making every fault or mishap seem easy to correct. Be confident. If you are not confident, be confident about not being confident. Get people to feel confident about you.
8. Request. Ask questions instead of directly giving orders. Let the other person feel like the idea is his or hers. Nobody likes being told what to do. And nobody likes being yelled at. Do you?
9. Pacify. Avoid arguments. Never tell someone they are wrong. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. If you cannot avoid an argument (or cannot resolve other people’s arguments), do not let the crew see it – move ugly out of the way.
10. Praise. Make each person feel important and necessary. Reward good work with honest and sincere appreciation. Acknowledge what each person is doing right. Commend every improvement.
The Production Meeting
1. Debrief the previous shoot. Always begin with a compliment.
2. Throw down a challenge. Give the crew a reputation to live up to. Your crew will take you more seriously with clean, pretty paperwork. Assume they don’t want to read it, so make it worth looking at.
3. Distribute sides for the upcoming shoot. Read every line of action aloud to the crew. Highlight every little prop, stunt, set dress, costume, vehicle, effect, movement, etc. and stop as you read to ask each department if they’ve got it taken care of.
4. You are in charge of all people and equipment. Make sure both will be there in time for the shoot. Make phone calls. Double check. Call sheets should be detailed and to the point (but never rely on them!). Remind the crew that being on time is late in this business - call time is work time, not coffee chitchat time. If you move call times earlier or later than planned, call each person.
5. You cannot cure a disease by suppressing symptoms. Address problems directly and invite everyone to be honest about their issues. Do not leave the meeting until solutions are reached and hands shake. Discontent grows like a tumor if not treated quickly.
Collaborating With the Director
1. Spontaneity is laziness. Don’t let any director or crew member convince you otherwise. Creativity lies in the battle plan, not the attack. “Wingin’ it” is not an option.
2. Wrangle the director and cinematographer on location or set to walk through the coverage, commit to shots, and schedule them efficiently. Do this as early as possible, but AT LEAST do it the morning before the shoot. Order shots for the day to accommodate lighting and inspire the director to be okay with that. Know every shot better than the director does.
3. Train the director to tell you whether or not he or she likes the take immediately after taking it. If they are not happy and you have time to get it again, announce“we’re going again” without delay. If the director is happy, check with everyone else first. Never announce that you are “moving on” until director, camera, and sound all confirm that they accept the take.
On Set
1. Start the day off with circle time. Get everyone’s attention, wish them a good morning, and inspire them. Take control. Remind everyone about safety and identify specific concerns (no matter how small). Make sure no one has any questions. Get the director to talk the crew through the day’s coverage. Simple and quick. Then orchestrate the first setup.
2. Learn to speak efficiently before you can act efficiently. Tell the truth. Honesty is a virtue. Stick to the facts. Say what you know, not what you think. “I don’t know” is a perfectly acceptable answer. Misinforming is more harmful that saying nothing at all. Teach everyone to do the same.
3. Only three things should ever be happening on a film shoot: rehearsing, lighting, or shooting – and nothing else. Know what we’re waiting for.
4. Remember that everyone read the script.
5. It’s your job to coordinate background. Give extras a role. A name. Specific blocking. Make them feel like actors and not extras. Keep them engaged and away from the craft table.
6. Yelling “quiet on set” is ironic. The crew knows this, too. Set an example. Ask everyone to quiet down quietly if you can. And remember: people like hearing their name; if you target the source of the yap by name, that person will listen.
7. Keep producers and the director up to date on time. Never surprise anyone with the clock. Constantly stay in touch with crew heads. Ask for time estimates AND make your own based on what needs to be done. Set time deadlines and update everyone on the countdown. Five-minute warnings are important.
8. Make sure boom and camera are talking to each other. They should be best friends. If the boom slips into frame, it’s everyone’s fault. Unite the departments.
9. People need to do their job – and nobody else’s. If anyone has a problem or concern about another department or crew member, make sure they tell you first.
10. Keep everyone out of the actor’s eye line. Have your back to them if necessary. Don’t move during a take. Do not let any member of the crew concern themselves with anything outside their department during a take – especially performance. There’s nothing they can do about it anyway.
11. Take good notes. Times, problems, delays, names, injuries, everything. Have your 2nd A.D. help you take notes and monitor attendance.
Rehearsal
1. Keep rehearsal simple. Get the crew to stand where the camera will be. Make sure everyone is paying attention while the director runs through blocking. Then walk through the coverage.
2. Show, don’t tell. Make sure the crew hears AND sees what you and the director imply. Keep everyone on the same page. Invite questions.
3. There are three types of rehearsal: blocking, marking, and tech rehearsal. Blocking demonstrates for the crew where the actors will be so the scene can be lit; marking refines blocking to collect focus and cue marks; and tech runs the scene as it will be shot.
4. When the actors are rehearsing, the crew should be quiet. When the crew is lighting, the actors should be quiet. Keep actors away from set as much as possible and always know where they are. Have the actors present as soon as you are ready for them.
Safety
1. Safety means liability, and liability is omnipresent. The producers dread lawsuits. If you don’t care about safety as an A.D., you are a wallet with a huge hole in it. The fewest accidents happen when you are shooting stunts; accidents usually happen when the shoot is easy.
2. Record every accident on the production report, no matter how small. Always be honest on the report – it is a legal document and will be reviewed. This piece of paper might keep you out of jail.
3. Know where the fire extinguisher and first aid kit is. Keep multiple paths clear as fire exits. Always have an out and let the crew know where it is.
Conclusion
Be yourself and don’t be afraid. Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right. This job is not for the squeamish, but I know you can do it. Making a movie isn’t hard – people are hard. Lead well and you will win. If the day goes well, you get the credit. Don’t stress. Be flexible. Making a film is an organic process. It is an art. Have fun and love your job; if you do, people will love you.
Words from A Talent Manager
In week three of The Business of Representation class, we had a manager come talk to our class. He has an amazing client list and really had an interesting perspective on things! Here are some of the things we talked about...
How did you get into management?
Well I actually started out in music management. I got a job in the mail room at Capitol Records...and managed a few people on the side. I managed to get a job at a small management company...it only had 4 people, but then it grew. Its a different path than I'd recommend.
How do managers differ than agents?
Agents can't produce, managers can. Managers are also technically not supposed to find employment, but that is a rule that I break nearly every day. You would be crazy in this day and age not to have both a manager and agent, the more people you have out there pitching for you, the better. Its a tough business and you want to have lots of people in your corner. With Agents, everyone has a speciality, some work in concerts, corporate shows, commercials, literary, TV, movies, etc. Agents specialize. While Managers, on the other hand, they have to know about a lot of different areas. Most of his/her clients do different things...if you can't get David Spade on TV , you try to get him on the road, etc. It takes longer to be a manager and its a harder road because you ahve to learn a lot. The talent will really look to you to explain everything to them and you are often doing multiple things at once.
Who do the studios call first, the Manager or Agent?
It really depends on who they have the best relationship with...but as soon as they call me, I'll immediately call the Agent...and vice versa.
What do you do if the client doesn't agree with you?
My rule of thumb is to always tell the client the truth, first and foremost. Its worth losing a client, to tell the truth. There is a movie coming out soon that I begged my client not to do, but she was friends with the Producer and they convinced her to do it.
How do you find clients?
Well if you want to be a good manager, you really have to be resourceful and go to the places that no every manager is going to. You have to find the really bizarre places. Sometimes kids in the office will wonder why they aren't getting promoted and I'll tell them--its because you need to be out there every single night at the alternative comedy places and clubs, seeking out prospective clients, you need to read the trades, and constantly be searching for the next big talent...you gotta read and go above and beyond the call of duty.
What do you do when you produce a show as a manager?
Well first of all, I will never take a credit on a show just because my client is on the show...I only take a cred if I am actually going to be a hands on producer...this is not the case with all Managers though. When you are working on a show, you really have to pick and choose your battles though, and its tough at times. On one of my client's shows, I constantly had to back my client and sometimes I would back him to his face and then do what was right for the show. My obligation was to his career, first and foremost, and sometimes what is best for the show is a better idea than backing what he wants. Actors often make decisions based on emotions and its your job to see through that and look out for their career.
What advice do you have for someone hoping to go into the representation business?
Well I think the best and smartest way to get into representation, is to get a job at an agency, go into the trainee program. This will teach you what everyone's job is and what people do. You really learn the business and how networks work. If you are smart and resourceful, you build relationships...it really is all about relationships in this business. My value to clients is that Bruckenheimer and Katzenberg will take my calls--this is so important. Or that you have someone in the office who has a relatinoship with that person to call. Its a great idea to intern at UTA, CAA, or Endeavor.
How did you get into management?
Well I actually started out in music management. I got a job in the mail room at Capitol Records...and managed a few people on the side. I managed to get a job at a small management company...it only had 4 people, but then it grew. Its a different path than I'd recommend.
How do managers differ than agents?
Agents can't produce, managers can. Managers are also technically not supposed to find employment, but that is a rule that I break nearly every day. You would be crazy in this day and age not to have both a manager and agent, the more people you have out there pitching for you, the better. Its a tough business and you want to have lots of people in your corner. With Agents, everyone has a speciality, some work in concerts, corporate shows, commercials, literary, TV, movies, etc. Agents specialize. While Managers, on the other hand, they have to know about a lot of different areas. Most of his/her clients do different things...if you can't get David Spade on TV , you try to get him on the road, etc. It takes longer to be a manager and its a harder road because you ahve to learn a lot. The talent will really look to you to explain everything to them and you are often doing multiple things at once.
Who do the studios call first, the Manager or Agent?
It really depends on who they have the best relationship with...but as soon as they call me, I'll immediately call the Agent...and vice versa.
What do you do if the client doesn't agree with you?
My rule of thumb is to always tell the client the truth, first and foremost. Its worth losing a client, to tell the truth. There is a movie coming out soon that I begged my client not to do, but she was friends with the Producer and they convinced her to do it.
How do you find clients?
Well if you want to be a good manager, you really have to be resourceful and go to the places that no every manager is going to. You have to find the really bizarre places. Sometimes kids in the office will wonder why they aren't getting promoted and I'll tell them--its because you need to be out there every single night at the alternative comedy places and clubs, seeking out prospective clients, you need to read the trades, and constantly be searching for the next big talent...you gotta read and go above and beyond the call of duty.
What do you do when you produce a show as a manager?
Well first of all, I will never take a credit on a show just because my client is on the show...I only take a cred if I am actually going to be a hands on producer...this is not the case with all Managers though. When you are working on a show, you really have to pick and choose your battles though, and its tough at times. On one of my client's shows, I constantly had to back my client and sometimes I would back him to his face and then do what was right for the show. My obligation was to his career, first and foremost, and sometimes what is best for the show is a better idea than backing what he wants. Actors often make decisions based on emotions and its your job to see through that and look out for their career.
What advice do you have for someone hoping to go into the representation business?
Well I think the best and smartest way to get into representation, is to get a job at an agency, go into the trainee program. This will teach you what everyone's job is and what people do. You really learn the business and how networks work. If you are smart and resourceful, you build relationships...it really is all about relationships in this business. My value to clients is that Bruckenheimer and Katzenberg will take my calls--this is so important. Or that you have someone in the office who has a relatinoship with that person to call. Its a great idea to intern at UTA, CAA, or Endeavor.
Appreciation goes a long way
So today started off with an interview with an independent producer, searching for a paid production assistant to help him out.
After that I went home and memorized some interview questions because at 3, I had another interview for Life After Film School--a Fox Movie Channel program.
I was kind of nervous at first, but I think I got pretty into it and actually did an okay job. We'll see what happen with that...I'm not expecting anything. It would be really cool to get to meet all those filmmakers though!
After that it was coffee with Lucy! I miss that girl! Ran into Tomer and talked a little bit about the short film he was directing...he asked me what my experience was like working with my director last semester. I told him that Mike used to drive me absolutely nuts, as he did with most everyone on the crew. But at the end of the day, he would come up to you and make some really nice comment about how much he appreciated your hard work and it would make all the hard feelings melt away. I always went home loving him, even if I wanted to kill him during the day.
That evening, I heard from one of his crewmembers that Tomer sent out a thank you note to his crew :)
After that I went home and memorized some interview questions because at 3, I had another interview for Life After Film School--a Fox Movie Channel program.
I was kind of nervous at first, but I think I got pretty into it and actually did an okay job. We'll see what happen with that...I'm not expecting anything. It would be really cool to get to meet all those filmmakers though!
After that it was coffee with Lucy! I miss that girl! Ran into Tomer and talked a little bit about the short film he was directing...he asked me what my experience was like working with my director last semester. I told him that Mike used to drive me absolutely nuts, as he did with most everyone on the crew. But at the end of the day, he would come up to you and make some really nice comment about how much he appreciated your hard work and it would make all the hard feelings melt away. I always went home loving him, even if I wanted to kill him during the day.
That evening, I heard from one of his crewmembers that Tomer sent out a thank you note to his crew :)
Dorm Life Webseries
So my friend introduced me to this funny little webseries on Hulu called Dorm Life.
Its really simple and is totally the sort of thing that makes you go: "now why didn't I think of that?!" Its pretty funny, although some of the characters are a little too over the top. It plays a lot like the Office, but in a dorm.
Take a look if you are bored...the episodes are only about 5 minutes each so they go by quickly and are entertaining for an evening of boredom!
http://www.hulu.com/dorm-life
Its really simple and is totally the sort of thing that makes you go: "now why didn't I think of that?!" Its pretty funny, although some of the characters are a little too over the top. It plays a lot like the Office, but in a dorm.
Take a look if you are bored...the episodes are only about 5 minutes each so they go by quickly and are entertaining for an evening of boredom!
http://www.hulu.com/dorm-life
Conversation with a Producer
So this week at CAA, we had a Producer come in and talk. He has worked on a large slate of highly succesful films!
Here are a few of the things we touched on...
So what are the primary responsibilities of a producer working at a studio?
Well your first duty is to go out and find ideas for films, whether it be from books or spec scripts (which is rare), or simply sitting around and discussing movie topics. Once you find the idea, you need to find the right person to write it--its very much like match-making actually. You guess at a person's talent and their ability to write this idea. You are usually wrong, but hopefully you are just right enough for the studio execs to start seeing the movie and to hire another writer (instead of just tossing the project)...often you are throwing out at least 300,000 per writer, so this can be a costly procedure!
If the studio is taking care of physical production, banking, marketing, and distribution...how much power do you have as Producer?
Right now, there is less money than every available to studios and everyone is fearful. It is your job to convince studios to make the movie you want to make and to convince them that it is relevant in today's market. Every movie is a power struggle. If you are doing a movie with Ridley Scott, and you are a young producer, he is going to be the one with all the power...but if you are doing a movie with a little-known Director, you are going to be the one with the power. If you have just gotten off of a successful film, you are always going to have a leg up with the studios; and likewise, if you have a flop, you are going to have less leverage with studios.
So is the producer basically the one who puts everything together? This title seems so loose, there seem to be all different kinds of producers, can you explain the difference?
Yes, well the Producer is basically the one who has a sense of what the movie should be...he/she is the one who tries to realize the dream of what the movie can be. This person is the one dealing with all the financial stuff, but there is also a ton of creative involved as well. He is the one on the project before the direct, at the time of the writer, and he is the one that is there at the end as well. The Producer is the one who gets to pick up the Academy Award for Best Picture.
The Executive Producer can be a variety of things...often times this is the manager who put it together, or could be a manager who didn't really do anything but just had the right client. Steven Spielberg is sometimes listed as an executive producer because his name helps sell a movie; he might have once upon a time found a good story and said it should be made, and then a studio might throw him a fee and in return, get to use his name. Associate Producer is much the same, usually its just someone who was given a credit as leverage. Line Producer is the one who is on set and making sure everything runs smoothly.
If you are a studio Producer, does that mean you only get to work with one studio?
No, what it means is that the studio you have a first look deal with has the right to all your projects first. If that studio doesn't want it, then you are free to take the project to another studio. When you have a first look deal at a studio, that basically means that the studio is paying the salaries of your executives and assistants and puts up the money to run your company. Often times these production companies are on the studio lots, but not always. We took Gladiator to Sony and they didn't want it, so we then took it to Dreamworks. In return, Dreamworks paid Sony a fee (since they were paying to upkeep our production facilities during the production).
What happens if a studio decides to take a project on and develops it, but then decides to drop it...can you take it to another studio?
Yes, this is called "turnaround." If Sony decides they are no longer going to continue on with a project, they will often give it back to you and allow you to take it to another studio; however, if Paramount picks up the film, they will be required to pay Sony back for whatever funds were spent developing the project. Often times, studios will make a deal to move a project from Sony to Paramount...but they can't pay back the 500,000 spent on development fees, so they will give 10% upfront, and then if the project is ever viable, Sony will get paid in full. This is a kindness among studios. Another thing to mention is that if you add an element, you are legally required to go back to the original studio and let them know before offering the project up to another studio. This basically means that if Sony drops a project, but then you get Brad Pitt to say that he wants to do the project...you must go back to Sony and inform them of the "changed elements" and give them a chance to come back on board before taking the script to Paramount.
How do you get a first look deal with a studio?
It changes all the time. Studios are always trying to figure out how to get movies. There was a stage where they thought younger people knew something...and that's how I got lucky. In my particular case, I was working for a director and they tried to hire me as a studio executive, but I said I only wanted to be a producer, so they took us on. If a producer has a couple hits, the person's agent will usually get a studio to meet with him/her and try to set up a first look deal.
What has been your shortest time frame between pitching a movie and starting filming?
2 or 3 years.
Here are a few of the things we touched on...
So what are the primary responsibilities of a producer working at a studio?
Well your first duty is to go out and find ideas for films, whether it be from books or spec scripts (which is rare), or simply sitting around and discussing movie topics. Once you find the idea, you need to find the right person to write it--its very much like match-making actually. You guess at a person's talent and their ability to write this idea. You are usually wrong, but hopefully you are just right enough for the studio execs to start seeing the movie and to hire another writer (instead of just tossing the project)...often you are throwing out at least 300,000 per writer, so this can be a costly procedure!
If the studio is taking care of physical production, banking, marketing, and distribution...how much power do you have as Producer?
Right now, there is less money than every available to studios and everyone is fearful. It is your job to convince studios to make the movie you want to make and to convince them that it is relevant in today's market. Every movie is a power struggle. If you are doing a movie with Ridley Scott, and you are a young producer, he is going to be the one with all the power...but if you are doing a movie with a little-known Director, you are going to be the one with the power. If you have just gotten off of a successful film, you are always going to have a leg up with the studios; and likewise, if you have a flop, you are going to have less leverage with studios.
So is the producer basically the one who puts everything together? This title seems so loose, there seem to be all different kinds of producers, can you explain the difference?
Yes, well the Producer is basically the one who has a sense of what the movie should be...he/she is the one who tries to realize the dream of what the movie can be. This person is the one dealing with all the financial stuff, but there is also a ton of creative involved as well. He is the one on the project before the direct, at the time of the writer, and he is the one that is there at the end as well. The Producer is the one who gets to pick up the Academy Award for Best Picture.
The Executive Producer can be a variety of things...often times this is the manager who put it together, or could be a manager who didn't really do anything but just had the right client. Steven Spielberg is sometimes listed as an executive producer because his name helps sell a movie; he might have once upon a time found a good story and said it should be made, and then a studio might throw him a fee and in return, get to use his name. Associate Producer is much the same, usually its just someone who was given a credit as leverage. Line Producer is the one who is on set and making sure everything runs smoothly.
If you are a studio Producer, does that mean you only get to work with one studio?
No, what it means is that the studio you have a first look deal with has the right to all your projects first. If that studio doesn't want it, then you are free to take the project to another studio. When you have a first look deal at a studio, that basically means that the studio is paying the salaries of your executives and assistants and puts up the money to run your company. Often times these production companies are on the studio lots, but not always. We took Gladiator to Sony and they didn't want it, so we then took it to Dreamworks. In return, Dreamworks paid Sony a fee (since they were paying to upkeep our production facilities during the production).
What happens if a studio decides to take a project on and develops it, but then decides to drop it...can you take it to another studio?
Yes, this is called "turnaround." If Sony decides they are no longer going to continue on with a project, they will often give it back to you and allow you to take it to another studio; however, if Paramount picks up the film, they will be required to pay Sony back for whatever funds were spent developing the project. Often times, studios will make a deal to move a project from Sony to Paramount...but they can't pay back the 500,000 spent on development fees, so they will give 10% upfront, and then if the project is ever viable, Sony will get paid in full. This is a kindness among studios. Another thing to mention is that if you add an element, you are legally required to go back to the original studio and let them know before offering the project up to another studio. This basically means that if Sony drops a project, but then you get Brad Pitt to say that he wants to do the project...you must go back to Sony and inform them of the "changed elements" and give them a chance to come back on board before taking the script to Paramount.
How do you get a first look deal with a studio?
It changes all the time. Studios are always trying to figure out how to get movies. There was a stage where they thought younger people knew something...and that's how I got lucky. In my particular case, I was working for a director and they tried to hire me as a studio executive, but I said I only wanted to be a producer, so they took us on. If a producer has a couple hits, the person's agent will usually get a studio to meet with him/her and try to set up a first look deal.
What has been your shortest time frame between pitching a movie and starting filming?
2 or 3 years.
Career Tips from Exec at Leading Talent Agency
Monday morning, I had the great opportunity to meet with an executive at one of the leading talent agencies (I'm keeping his name secret for privacy's sake!). My dad's best friend golfs with him and so he arranged for us to meet.
He had a lot of great advice, that I thought would be good to share here.
He started out by telling me that in this business, there are two sides...
The business side--which encompasses agents, managers, lawyers, studio execs, producers, etc.
And the purely creative side--actors, writers, and directors.
He says that when you are going to go into entertainment, its good to figure out which side you want to be in. Not that nobody ever switches, but its much more difficult than say, switching from a manager to an agent. He says he does know agents that have turned writer and such though, so it definitely does happen.
He then explained that for the business side, starting out at an agency in the mail room and going through the agent trainee program can be a great way to learn about the business because agencies are kind of at the center of everything. They deal with actors, writers, directors, studios, lawyers, etc. This is actually something I have heard before from others.
Next I asked about graduate school....he didn't seem to think it was going to be necessary at all...unless you seriously want to be an entertainment lawyer. You have to start at the bottom and work your way up pretty much regardless of your education. This is something that I have definitely realized...when I was working on set, I was a PA and on the same level as the kid who didn't go to college at all. I knew what all the equipment was called and yet I wasn't allowed to touch it because I was just a PA. The more time that goes by, the more I have come to realize it doesn't really matter what you major in to get into entertainment...the best part about USC is the networking and contacts you build while at school. Everything else you can learn once you get out there and are working in the real world. I mean school definitely makes you a smarter assistant, but the english major, the economics major, and the film major are all going to start out on the same level.
The next thing I asked was about networking and how you build up a solid base of contacts, which is essential to being a good agent. This was one of the most interesting things I learned during my meeting. He said that the only thing that was important was to build contacts among the people in "your class" (i.e. the people you are in the mail room with, the people you go to school with, the people around your age)...these are going to be the filmmakers of tomorrow. Its not as necessary to build contacts with older people because these probably aren't going to be the people working when you are an agent (or whatever you want to be). So networking really not this ominous difficult task, as it might seem.
Next up, it was...what are the characteristics that you feel make a great agent?
1. Great social skills...this is all about building relationships with people...both clients and others who will can use your clients. You have to be a good communicator and be able to connect with people.
2. Extremely strong work ethic. You will never get off at 5PM--its very intense. You gotta be the one out there always going the extra mile in order to succeed.
3. Lastly, you have to passion about the business through and through. You have to be ready to have less time and less money than all your friends not working in film. But passion is what makes people go far in this business.
Noticing his family pictures on the mantle, I asked about how he managed to balance out family life with work. He said that it is very hard. He didn't get married until later in life. There are always people who are the exception to the rule and make it work. But its difficult to work super long hours and have a spouse/children...you miss out on a lot and that can lead to resentment, or you aren't going to at work and might miss out on opportunities for advancement.
He gave me a lot of good things to think about. He ended the meeting by saying that when I graduate to let him know and if I'm interested, he can set me up with the woman who manages the trainee hiring. That would be really cool if I could get started there! We'll see what happens though, this is a crazy business! I love it though :)
He had a lot of great advice, that I thought would be good to share here.
He started out by telling me that in this business, there are two sides...
The business side--which encompasses agents, managers, lawyers, studio execs, producers, etc.
And the purely creative side--actors, writers, and directors.
He says that when you are going to go into entertainment, its good to figure out which side you want to be in. Not that nobody ever switches, but its much more difficult than say, switching from a manager to an agent. He says he does know agents that have turned writer and such though, so it definitely does happen.
He then explained that for the business side, starting out at an agency in the mail room and going through the agent trainee program can be a great way to learn about the business because agencies are kind of at the center of everything. They deal with actors, writers, directors, studios, lawyers, etc. This is actually something I have heard before from others.
Next I asked about graduate school....he didn't seem to think it was going to be necessary at all...unless you seriously want to be an entertainment lawyer. You have to start at the bottom and work your way up pretty much regardless of your education. This is something that I have definitely realized...when I was working on set, I was a PA and on the same level as the kid who didn't go to college at all. I knew what all the equipment was called and yet I wasn't allowed to touch it because I was just a PA. The more time that goes by, the more I have come to realize it doesn't really matter what you major in to get into entertainment...the best part about USC is the networking and contacts you build while at school. Everything else you can learn once you get out there and are working in the real world. I mean school definitely makes you a smarter assistant, but the english major, the economics major, and the film major are all going to start out on the same level.
The next thing I asked was about networking and how you build up a solid base of contacts, which is essential to being a good agent. This was one of the most interesting things I learned during my meeting. He said that the only thing that was important was to build contacts among the people in "your class" (i.e. the people you are in the mail room with, the people you go to school with, the people around your age)...these are going to be the filmmakers of tomorrow. Its not as necessary to build contacts with older people because these probably aren't going to be the people working when you are an agent (or whatever you want to be). So networking really not this ominous difficult task, as it might seem.
Next up, it was...what are the characteristics that you feel make a great agent?
1. Great social skills...this is all about building relationships with people...both clients and others who will can use your clients. You have to be a good communicator and be able to connect with people.
2. Extremely strong work ethic. You will never get off at 5PM--its very intense. You gotta be the one out there always going the extra mile in order to succeed.
3. Lastly, you have to passion about the business through and through. You have to be ready to have less time and less money than all your friends not working in film. But passion is what makes people go far in this business.
Noticing his family pictures on the mantle, I asked about how he managed to balance out family life with work. He said that it is very hard. He didn't get married until later in life. There are always people who are the exception to the rule and make it work. But its difficult to work super long hours and have a spouse/children...you miss out on a lot and that can lead to resentment, or you aren't going to at work and might miss out on opportunities for advancement.
He gave me a lot of good things to think about. He ended the meeting by saying that when I graduate to let him know and if I'm interested, he can set me up with the woman who manages the trainee hiring. That would be really cool if I could get started there! We'll see what happens though, this is a crazy business! I love it though :)
Woo
So I got a bunch of responses back today...
The script supervisor who I worked with on an indie feature said I could come shadow her at work (as long as it was okay with the next production she was on). So yay!
AND I sent an email to Diablo Cody's agent asking her to forward a note I had written along. She sent an email back saying it was a very sweet note and that she'd be happy to pass it on! Woooo!
The script supervisor who I worked with on an indie feature said I could come shadow her at work (as long as it was okay with the next production she was on). So yay!
AND I sent an email to Diablo Cody's agent asking her to forward a note I had written along. She sent an email back saying it was a very sweet note and that she'd be happy to pass it on! Woooo!
Women in Film & Tips From A Scripty
I've decided that I'm going to start writing to women in film who have careers I'd like to emulate or who I think I could learn something from.
I started tonight. I wrote several emails to some script supervisors and to a few writers. We'll see if I get anything back, but I figure that if I send out enough, someone is bound to read it and agree to meet with me!
One script supervisor wrote me a nice note in response to my email about working in Dallas vs. LA (she is based out of Dallas).
Thanks for the compliments.
You've asked a tricky question. This industry tends to be very cyclic: one
place is the hotspot now, but two years later, it's somewhere else. Things
happen like union strikes and film incentive programs that cause work to
migrate to certain areas. Sometimes Texas is a happening place; sometimes
not. Since Texas is so big, you might live in Dallas and miss out on
everything going to Austin or vice versa.
Two places you can ALWAYS count on film work are NY and LA. However, that's
where the competition is most fierce. Plus, they're union towns, and the
cost of living there is very high. I don't know your personal situation,
but you might want to consider marrying and raising a family there vs.
Texas. I've known a lot of people that started off in Texas, moved to LA to
work on the big stuff, then moved back to Texas to raise a family.
Last year, I worked pretty steadily until August, then I didn't work again
until March (when I accepted a job on a TV series as a logger for a PA
rate). I didn't work again until July, when I did 2 movies back to back.
I've had to turn one down in Louisiana and I've got another one that
hopefully will start in mid-October. So now I'm busy again. It's always like
this, and I've been freelancing for almost 20 years. It's always feast or
famine.
So consider these factors in making your decision:
One of a handful of scriptys vying for a handful of movies (Texas) or one of
a thousand scriptys vying for one of a thousand movies (LA).
Quality of life
Family and personal connections
You can always work for a while in one place, and then move if things don't
work out or you want to change things up. No decision is forever. If you're
in LA already, you have a place to stay and friends and contacts--what about
trying to start your career there? You can always come back home and stay
with your family to regroup in Austin, but if you come back to Austin you
may find it hard to go back and start over in LA.
Good luck to you!
Eve
I started tonight. I wrote several emails to some script supervisors and to a few writers. We'll see if I get anything back, but I figure that if I send out enough, someone is bound to read it and agree to meet with me!
One script supervisor wrote me a nice note in response to my email about working in Dallas vs. LA (she is based out of Dallas).
Thanks for the compliments.
You've asked a tricky question. This industry tends to be very cyclic: one
place is the hotspot now, but two years later, it's somewhere else. Things
happen like union strikes and film incentive programs that cause work to
migrate to certain areas. Sometimes Texas is a happening place; sometimes
not. Since Texas is so big, you might live in Dallas and miss out on
everything going to Austin or vice versa.
Two places you can ALWAYS count on film work are NY and LA. However, that's
where the competition is most fierce. Plus, they're union towns, and the
cost of living there is very high. I don't know your personal situation,
but you might want to consider marrying and raising a family there vs.
Texas. I've known a lot of people that started off in Texas, moved to LA to
work on the big stuff, then moved back to Texas to raise a family.
Last year, I worked pretty steadily until August, then I didn't work again
until March (when I accepted a job on a TV series as a logger for a PA
rate). I didn't work again until July, when I did 2 movies back to back.
I've had to turn one down in Louisiana and I've got another one that
hopefully will start in mid-October. So now I'm busy again. It's always like
this, and I've been freelancing for almost 20 years. It's always feast or
famine.
So consider these factors in making your decision:
One of a handful of scriptys vying for a handful of movies (Texas) or one of
a thousand scriptys vying for one of a thousand movies (LA).
Quality of life
Family and personal connections
You can always work for a while in one place, and then move if things don't
work out or you want to change things up. No decision is forever. If you're
in LA already, you have a place to stay and friends and contacts--what about
trying to start your career there? You can always come back home and stay
with your family to regroup in Austin, but if you come back to Austin you
may find it hard to go back and start over in LA.
Good luck to you!
Eve
Sugar Rush in Austin Film Festival!
I'm so excited! The movie I worked on all last semester has gotten into the Austin Film Festival! I can't wait to go home and see it screen...its going to be AWESOME!
Securing an Internship
I had two internship interviews today. At HBO and a visual effects company, Digital Domain. They both seemed like fun opportunities. We'll see what happens! Wish me luck. I got another response from CAA Agency for a research assistant intern position...it is paid as well. I hope I can get lucky this semester and find someone to finally pay me for my intern work! Its annoying how difficult it is to find a paying internship within the film industry.
Commitment Issues
I am trying to write this screenplay for my class. I like the subject matter, characters are mildly entertaining. And yet I cannot stick to it! Every time I start working on it, my mind wanders to my newest screenplay idea and all I want to write about is that. I can't decipher which is the more sensible premise to explore. Why must I be so indecisive?! Ugh, its quite annoying really. Bassel always asks me where I want to eat and I always say "I don't care." I usually don't though. As long as it isn't seafood or Vistango, I am usually fine with whatever. I am picky, but can usually find something to eat wherever we go. I always feel that if someone else feels strongly, I'd just assume do what they want because I'm easy. I don't know if this is me not being able to make up my mind, or me just being extremely agreeable. Or maybe somewhere in the middle?
Commitment issues aren't new to me...they seem to pervade my life every which way I go. I am indecisive and am bad at communicating--usually because I can't decide what I want--which causes a lot of problems. Oh well. I've matured a little over the years, but I'm still no expert. Its so much easier to just go with the flow and evade questions...its nice that way for a while...until it isn't. I wish someone would just tell me what to do sometimes. Tell me what to do so that neither me, nor anyone else, gets hurt. But there is no such person. There is only me.
Commitment issues aren't new to me...they seem to pervade my life every which way I go. I am indecisive and am bad at communicating--usually because I can't decide what I want--which causes a lot of problems. Oh well. I've matured a little over the years, but I'm still no expert. Its so much easier to just go with the flow and evade questions...its nice that way for a while...until it isn't. I wish someone would just tell me what to do sometimes. Tell me what to do so that neither me, nor anyone else, gets hurt. But there is no such person. There is only me.
A decent day
Today was pretty good. We had Christine Lahti the actress/director come to our directing class and direct some of the actors in scenes. It was really interesting seeing her work and she had a lot of really great ideas to help perfect the scene. After class, I had my semester conference with Jennifer. I really love that woman. She is just so interested in her students and I feel that she truly has their best interest at heart and is always going out of her way to help us. We went over my production book and then we just talked. She told me that she had really pushed for me and that she was sorry I didn't get a chance to pitch. She said some of the stuff the guys would bring in was just so difficult to compete with. I know its all true, but that is just never going to be my style. I'm not edgy and experimental. I like good characters and a good story. That's it. We talked about Roham for like 15 minutes. She really likes him and is annoyed that Linda is ruining his chances. We talked about how talented he is and how much he deserves the chance at directing. I then talked to her about loving 480. I love being on set and the crew feeling.
I asked Daddy for more money today. I felt horrible asking, but I spent so much on my recent film project! I asked for a hundred and he wrote back saying "I was gonna say 200. But how about we just round it to 500. You work so hard and I am so proud of you." I wrote back telling him he had made my day! To which he responded, "well you have made my life :)"
In the evening I just mostly did work and wasted time on facebook. I think I did some productive stuff tho.
I really wish I could get myself to start writing. I need to get myself in the habit of writing!
I asked Daddy for more money today. I felt horrible asking, but I spent so much on my recent film project! I asked for a hundred and he wrote back saying "I was gonna say 200. But how about we just round it to 500. You work so hard and I am so proud of you." I wrote back telling him he had made my day! To which he responded, "well you have made my life :)"
In the evening I just mostly did work and wasted time on facebook. I think I did some productive stuff tho.
I really wish I could get myself to start writing. I need to get myself in the habit of writing!
life sucks sometimes, and other times it all works out...
Last week wasn't too great. I had a hard week from finding out I didn't make director to all the boy drama. Two of my friends dropped out of the director race. I am sad they aren't at least giving it a go. They took one of the coveted slots and now they aren't even pitching. Oh well. I guess if I hadn't found a script I felt passionate about it would be difficult to try to act enthusiastic in front of the faculty.
This week has been gruelling, but somehow everything has worked out. I filmed my 475 final directing project last night. I was so stressed leading up to it. I was freaking out about the location, about my actors awful performances, figuring out if I could get it on a medium to edit, etc. Monday night I couldn't sleep because I was so stressed. But somehow things seemed to fall together. After 3 rehearsals, I felt like the actors were finally figuring things out. I didn't feel they were really right for the parts, but it wasn't a train wreck. The hours leading up to the shoot I was freaking out. I was super nervous. I ran around a bit collecting equipment and then had to drive up to Palos Verdes to meet John, whose house we were going to film at. On the way up, he tells me that he found this perfect house for me to film at that would prevent us from having to move locations. Their backyard turned out to be absolutely FABULOUS. It was so gorgeous, overlooking a cliff with the city spread out behind it. So they boys set up the first scene and it looks great, really dynamic and interesting.
We had a minor setback when we learned that the boom mic was broken! Ahhh! I was freaking out. I called my friend Ken who also does sound for 480. He told me he had passed the kit off to Adrian his partner, but managed to get a hold of Adrian who was willing to let me use the kit. So then I call Sonya and beg her to drive it up for me. She graciously agreed. She was supposed to have a meeting with the producer for her music video, Tyler. I told her she should have their meeting while driving up to see me....they could even ride in the carpool lane then! She agreed. I absolutely love her.
The scene went really well. I didn't give too many directions and felt like I wasn't doing much. But the boys kind of took over and decided what it was that we needed. I should have been a little more vocal, but I felt a tad intimidated by their amazingness...and was shy to say too much. I know that isn't how I should be, but I trusted them a lot and I figured the actors weren't going to improve much after all this time of working with them. They were doing fine and I just gave them a few notes here and there. At one point Roham asked me if he could give them a direction and told them something that I had been trying to get them to do for ages on our last practice and was quite difficult....they did it slightly better.
I was really paranoid by the end of the shoot because when we were setting up for the second scene this grumpy neighbor lady yelled at us telling us to be quiet. We tried really hard to be as quiet as possible, but I was soooo paranoid that she was going to call the cops that I rushed things along at a very quick pace, not really paying as much attention to performance as I perfect should have (this was when Roham jumped in).
Oh well I will try to be a little more bold and less worried next time!
Roham was so fabulous through this whole thing. I really can't believe he did all this for me. On the way home, at like 3AM, he scratched my head softly as I drove. I should have been doing that for him...he did most of the hard work! Then he held my hand, and it felt so nice...just what I needed after a stressful week.
I didn't get home til almost 4AM and had to wake up at 8AM to go work on Sonya's music video. At the first location I got to be an extra in her music video as a patron watching a concert. Then I went and did a bit of Production Design for her at another location. It was really fun. The music vid part had tons of people there! And they even had this crazy jib arm thing!
Now I am quite tired and have to settle down and work on my stupid writing 340 paper and production design project. ICK.
This week has been gruelling, but somehow everything has worked out. I filmed my 475 final directing project last night. I was so stressed leading up to it. I was freaking out about the location, about my actors awful performances, figuring out if I could get it on a medium to edit, etc. Monday night I couldn't sleep because I was so stressed. But somehow things seemed to fall together. After 3 rehearsals, I felt like the actors were finally figuring things out. I didn't feel they were really right for the parts, but it wasn't a train wreck. The hours leading up to the shoot I was freaking out. I was super nervous. I ran around a bit collecting equipment and then had to drive up to Palos Verdes to meet John, whose house we were going to film at. On the way up, he tells me that he found this perfect house for me to film at that would prevent us from having to move locations. Their backyard turned out to be absolutely FABULOUS. It was so gorgeous, overlooking a cliff with the city spread out behind it. So they boys set up the first scene and it looks great, really dynamic and interesting.
We had a minor setback when we learned that the boom mic was broken! Ahhh! I was freaking out. I called my friend Ken who also does sound for 480. He told me he had passed the kit off to Adrian his partner, but managed to get a hold of Adrian who was willing to let me use the kit. So then I call Sonya and beg her to drive it up for me. She graciously agreed. She was supposed to have a meeting with the producer for her music video, Tyler. I told her she should have their meeting while driving up to see me....they could even ride in the carpool lane then! She agreed. I absolutely love her.
The scene went really well. I didn't give too many directions and felt like I wasn't doing much. But the boys kind of took over and decided what it was that we needed. I should have been a little more vocal, but I felt a tad intimidated by their amazingness...and was shy to say too much. I know that isn't how I should be, but I trusted them a lot and I figured the actors weren't going to improve much after all this time of working with them. They were doing fine and I just gave them a few notes here and there. At one point Roham asked me if he could give them a direction and told them something that I had been trying to get them to do for ages on our last practice and was quite difficult....they did it slightly better.
I was really paranoid by the end of the shoot because when we were setting up for the second scene this grumpy neighbor lady yelled at us telling us to be quiet. We tried really hard to be as quiet as possible, but I was soooo paranoid that she was going to call the cops that I rushed things along at a very quick pace, not really paying as much attention to performance as I perfect should have (this was when Roham jumped in).
Oh well I will try to be a little more bold and less worried next time!
Roham was so fabulous through this whole thing. I really can't believe he did all this for me. On the way home, at like 3AM, he scratched my head softly as I drove. I should have been doing that for him...he did most of the hard work! Then he held my hand, and it felt so nice...just what I needed after a stressful week.
I didn't get home til almost 4AM and had to wake up at 8AM to go work on Sonya's music video. At the first location I got to be an extra in her music video as a patron watching a concert. Then I went and did a bit of Production Design for her at another location. It was really fun. The music vid part had tons of people there! And they even had this crazy jib arm thing!
Now I am quite tired and have to settle down and work on my stupid writing 340 paper and production design project. ICK.
Plays, Strippers, and More
So last night Roham invited me to go see this play that his friend was in. It was called Into the Pines and was at the blackbox on campus. USC's blackbox is really tiny. Ours at Westlake was much nicer. Going to see the play made me nostalgic for high school when I got to participate in all the shows. I really loved doing theatre. Its a shame that I can't participate in acting any more....but film production is just so grueling!
After the show, a group of us went to Santa Monica to this bar. It was pretty fun. We all danced and had a nice time. But then another friend showed up, and I guess he got mad because I was dancing with another friend. So that whole situation was just awkward. I felt like property. Some prize to be won. Not like I even had a say in things! It felt very awkward for me, especially since no one was talking to me about what was going on. It was all being dealt with by the boys.
After that we went to this strip club. It was surprisingly fun. Kind of random. But I had never done it before and I love new experiences! One of the strippers came over and started talking to us. Her name was Monique. She is 25 and she told us she has a 9 year old son! She talked about how he doesn't know what she does for a living, he thinks she goes and sells drinks each night. When she comes home, he asks her, "did you sell a lot of drinks tonight, mommy?" I love kids. Isn't the innocence so sweet. I wish we could all stay like that forever. Not get all caught up in the craziness of the adult world. Everything was so much simpler back then, and pleasure was so easy to come by. Monique told me I was really pretty and invited me up on stage! Luckily I was sobering up and I had enough sense to say no thanks.
Later when I was waiting in line for the restroom, I met this producer guy. He told me that he worked on Marley and Me and Superbad, which is cool. He tried to get me to go into the bathroom with him and do coke, but of course, I graciously declined :) Crazy entertainment people! I wonder if these are the sorts I will always be dealing with....
After the show, a group of us went to Santa Monica to this bar. It was pretty fun. We all danced and had a nice time. But then another friend showed up, and I guess he got mad because I was dancing with another friend. So that whole situation was just awkward. I felt like property. Some prize to be won. Not like I even had a say in things! It felt very awkward for me, especially since no one was talking to me about what was going on. It was all being dealt with by the boys.
After that we went to this strip club. It was surprisingly fun. Kind of random. But I had never done it before and I love new experiences! One of the strippers came over and started talking to us. Her name was Monique. She is 25 and she told us she has a 9 year old son! She talked about how he doesn't know what she does for a living, he thinks she goes and sells drinks each night. When she comes home, he asks her, "did you sell a lot of drinks tonight, mommy?" I love kids. Isn't the innocence so sweet. I wish we could all stay like that forever. Not get all caught up in the craziness of the adult world. Everything was so much simpler back then, and pleasure was so easy to come by. Monique told me I was really pretty and invited me up on stage! Luckily I was sobering up and I had enough sense to say no thanks.
Later when I was waiting in line for the restroom, I met this producer guy. He told me that he worked on Marley and Me and Superbad, which is cool. He tried to get me to go into the bathroom with him and do coke, but of course, I graciously declined :) Crazy entertainment people! I wonder if these are the sorts I will always be dealing with....
Sore & Apprehensive
I have been trying to get back into an exercise routine. It is tough business. I am extremely sore right now. I worked out on the machine where you lift weights using your inner thighs. And now they hurt like hell. I am hobbling around the house. Its quite comical actually....or would be if it didn't hurt.
Today I also played racquetball, which is way more fun than I realized! I am excited to go back and try it again. I think I started catching onto it by the end. Its quite different from tennis, which I am used to.
Last night was laser tag with the sorority. It was a pretty fun outing! I took this boy named Scully. Not to be confused with Colin Scully. This is a new Scully. He is nice. He is a roommate of my friend BWin, one of the editors on Sugar Rush.
So, I don't think I am going to be able to go to Troy Camp this year....its really sad. I got this cool opportunity working on a film set during May/June and its too cool of an opportunity to give up! I am quite sad really. I feel like I have been getting less and less involved in Troy Camp and that really isn't how I want things to be. But life is just so hectic with all my film stuff. I wish I could do it all, but I can't. And I have to put my career first. I'm worried that people will think its because I don't want to see Jimmy or that I was only doing Troy Camp because he was in it. But neither of those are the case. Oh well.
So they post the long list of 480 directors tomorrow. I'm kind of nervous, but kind of not. I don't think I am going to get picked. I did at first, but our TA didn't seem to act like my 475 was very good, so I'm thinking that I probably won't get picked. I'm kind of terrified actually of getting picked. It might be a relief to not get picked. But then again, it is like the easy way out....it'll prevent me from having to face my fears...which is never a good thing. Pitching is scary business! So I guess we'll see what happens. I will be working at the 9-0 when the list gets posted. But either way I'll know, since I'm sure if I get bbms or texts from friends that will mean I got it...and if I don't, then it means I didn't.
Today I also played racquetball, which is way more fun than I realized! I am excited to go back and try it again. I think I started catching onto it by the end. Its quite different from tennis, which I am used to.
Last night was laser tag with the sorority. It was a pretty fun outing! I took this boy named Scully. Not to be confused with Colin Scully. This is a new Scully. He is nice. He is a roommate of my friend BWin, one of the editors on Sugar Rush.
So, I don't think I am going to be able to go to Troy Camp this year....its really sad. I got this cool opportunity working on a film set during May/June and its too cool of an opportunity to give up! I am quite sad really. I feel like I have been getting less and less involved in Troy Camp and that really isn't how I want things to be. But life is just so hectic with all my film stuff. I wish I could do it all, but I can't. And I have to put my career first. I'm worried that people will think its because I don't want to see Jimmy or that I was only doing Troy Camp because he was in it. But neither of those are the case. Oh well.
So they post the long list of 480 directors tomorrow. I'm kind of nervous, but kind of not. I don't think I am going to get picked. I did at first, but our TA didn't seem to act like my 475 was very good, so I'm thinking that I probably won't get picked. I'm kind of terrified actually of getting picked. It might be a relief to not get picked. But then again, it is like the easy way out....it'll prevent me from having to face my fears...which is never a good thing. Pitching is scary business! So I guess we'll see what happens. I will be working at the 9-0 when the list gets posted. But either way I'll know, since I'm sure if I get bbms or texts from friends that will mean I got it...and if I don't, then it means I didn't.
Meet the Crew....
My perception of time this semester has been so incredibly off. I hardly remember what happened when. I guess that is what happens when you are incredibly busy with school. All you can do is worry about what is due the next day and as soon as you finish one assignment and turn it in, you immediately forget about it and start working on the next to-do item. It might seem like an un-enjoyable situation, but I actually really like being kept super busy. Rushing from one place to the next. Of course, a lazy weekend is always appreciated from time to time. But I dislike having too much downtime. I love feeling productive and when I have nothing to do, I can't be productive!
Anyways, we finished editing for Sugar Rush! That is the big news of this week. So that is very exciting. I don't have too much to do for the movie during the post process. I just pop in from time and time down in the basement to see how my boys are doing with editing. I am kind of sad that it is all coming to a close. I really do love our crew. Even though the director, Mike, often drove me crazy from time to time with his optimism (I had to be the realist)...I still think he is a fabulous guy and I enjoyed working with him. He is such a kooky guy haha, he always looks completely high in pictures and has this dorky laugh that is contagious, it totally cracks me up. We had a lot of characters on our crew though.
In addition to Mike, there was Harkins (he has a first name but no one uses it), one of the DPs, who rarely opens his mouth, except to utter catchphrases such as "rough dude, rough." Everyone has fun mimicking his silly sayings. He is the one person who I didn't really get to know too well, but I have a feeling not many people get a chance to know him very well! Marcus, was our other DP, and he is much more communicative. He had a mohawk for the duration of the shoot and is an unusual guy, but can be unexpectedly sweet. We fight from time to time, but we always make up.
Corbin & Zach are our producers. Corbin is a nut, but a lovable one. He is so proud of his 310 film, its comical. Everyone in film production knows about how he flipped a car for his film. He always goes all out and puts the most he can into things, which is nice. He is a really hard worker and I love people who commit themselves completely to things. Whereas Corbin dealt with the people side of producing, Zach dealt with the budget and money issues. He surprised me a lot during the filming of Sugar Rush. I had never seen him act so serious or mature before. I knew him from 310 and he seemed like a goofy guy, but he definitely knows how to turn on his serious side and get down to business.
I love our production designers as well--Matt & Cali. Their interactions are hilarious. They have come to behave just like brother and sister. Its quite cute. Matt is amazing. He is a freshmen, but no one on the faculty knows it! He never says no to anything Mike requests, he finds a way to do ANYTHING. He is like this bad-ass carpenter boy. He always wears a wife beater and combat type boots. And during the filming of the action sequences, could be guaranteed to be covered in a good amount of fake blood. I would chase him around with towels and napkins. Even though he is amazingly talented, he also was constantly leaving his bloody shirts on the ground and creating messes. But we can't all be perfect! Cali was the only other girl on the crew. She is from England but ditches her accent when she is in the states. She has a real knack for production design and that is her desired career path, so she is right where she wants to be! It worked out really nicely because Matt was great at building stuff and Cali was great at decorating and props so together they were like this unstoppable force!
For sound we had Matt and John. Matt is a nice guy, he assistant directed before so he was always giving me tips on how to better run the set and schedule days more efficiently. He was a big help to me. John is fabulous as well. He is this super tall guy, basically destined to hold a boom mic. He is kind of a goofy ball but has great taste in music and very down to earth. He even let us film at his family home in Palos Verdes. The sound guys were my favorite because they were always ready to go. An AD's dream :)
Then lastly we have the editors--Alan and Brian. Alan is a very sweet guy. He records his own music for fun and his voice on CD will shock you! He was always trying to get Mike to cut down on shots, which I appreciated. He is also in my Writing 340 class and is a frequent guest at Friday's G Phi Brunch. He is like the funniest drunk ever. Brian is a character. He is another one who is constantly mimicked for his odd speech pattern and optimistic, go-getter vocabulary. He is also like the most flirtatious boy I have ever met. But a ton of fun. He sometimes comes off as a douche bag but can be very good to his friends. He critiqued and color corrected my entire 475 directing project. It was a big help! Unfortunately, he does seem to be one of those guys who completely forgets about everyone else in his life when he gets a girlfriend....he hasn't been as fun since. But its probably good for him. He normally has a 2 date rule and now it seems that he is finally falling into an actual relationship. Even though casual dating can be fun, I think its important to experience real relationships. So I think this is a good experience for him.
Oh my, I have written a lot and haven't even realized it! The funny thing is that I feel like I barely glazed over the people! I could write much, much more. But I suppose I should call it a day here.
Anyways, we finished editing for Sugar Rush! That is the big news of this week. So that is very exciting. I don't have too much to do for the movie during the post process. I just pop in from time and time down in the basement to see how my boys are doing with editing. I am kind of sad that it is all coming to a close. I really do love our crew. Even though the director, Mike, often drove me crazy from time to time with his optimism (I had to be the realist)...I still think he is a fabulous guy and I enjoyed working with him. He is such a kooky guy haha, he always looks completely high in pictures and has this dorky laugh that is contagious, it totally cracks me up. We had a lot of characters on our crew though.
In addition to Mike, there was Harkins (he has a first name but no one uses it), one of the DPs, who rarely opens his mouth, except to utter catchphrases such as "rough dude, rough." Everyone has fun mimicking his silly sayings. He is the one person who I didn't really get to know too well, but I have a feeling not many people get a chance to know him very well! Marcus, was our other DP, and he is much more communicative. He had a mohawk for the duration of the shoot and is an unusual guy, but can be unexpectedly sweet. We fight from time to time, but we always make up.
Corbin & Zach are our producers. Corbin is a nut, but a lovable one. He is so proud of his 310 film, its comical. Everyone in film production knows about how he flipped a car for his film. He always goes all out and puts the most he can into things, which is nice. He is a really hard worker and I love people who commit themselves completely to things. Whereas Corbin dealt with the people side of producing, Zach dealt with the budget and money issues. He surprised me a lot during the filming of Sugar Rush. I had never seen him act so serious or mature before. I knew him from 310 and he seemed like a goofy guy, but he definitely knows how to turn on his serious side and get down to business.
I love our production designers as well--Matt & Cali. Their interactions are hilarious. They have come to behave just like brother and sister. Its quite cute. Matt is amazing. He is a freshmen, but no one on the faculty knows it! He never says no to anything Mike requests, he finds a way to do ANYTHING. He is like this bad-ass carpenter boy. He always wears a wife beater and combat type boots. And during the filming of the action sequences, could be guaranteed to be covered in a good amount of fake blood. I would chase him around with towels and napkins. Even though he is amazingly talented, he also was constantly leaving his bloody shirts on the ground and creating messes. But we can't all be perfect! Cali was the only other girl on the crew. She is from England but ditches her accent when she is in the states. She has a real knack for production design and that is her desired career path, so she is right where she wants to be! It worked out really nicely because Matt was great at building stuff and Cali was great at decorating and props so together they were like this unstoppable force!
For sound we had Matt and John. Matt is a nice guy, he assistant directed before so he was always giving me tips on how to better run the set and schedule days more efficiently. He was a big help to me. John is fabulous as well. He is this super tall guy, basically destined to hold a boom mic. He is kind of a goofy ball but has great taste in music and very down to earth. He even let us film at his family home in Palos Verdes. The sound guys were my favorite because they were always ready to go. An AD's dream :)
Then lastly we have the editors--Alan and Brian. Alan is a very sweet guy. He records his own music for fun and his voice on CD will shock you! He was always trying to get Mike to cut down on shots, which I appreciated. He is also in my Writing 340 class and is a frequent guest at Friday's G Phi Brunch. He is like the funniest drunk ever. Brian is a character. He is another one who is constantly mimicked for his odd speech pattern and optimistic, go-getter vocabulary. He is also like the most flirtatious boy I have ever met. But a ton of fun. He sometimes comes off as a douche bag but can be very good to his friends. He critiqued and color corrected my entire 475 directing project. It was a big help! Unfortunately, he does seem to be one of those guys who completely forgets about everyone else in his life when he gets a girlfriend....he hasn't been as fun since. But its probably good for him. He normally has a 2 date rule and now it seems that he is finally falling into an actual relationship. Even though casual dating can be fun, I think its important to experience real relationships. So I think this is a good experience for him.
Oh my, I have written a lot and haven't even realized it! The funny thing is that I feel like I barely glazed over the people! I could write much, much more. But I suppose I should call it a day here.
Pretty How Town
I finally uploaded Pretty How Town to YouTube! Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGJxnHW3S44&feature=channel_page
Director: Lucy Wells
Cinematographer: Lauren Gabel (Me!)
Its kind of sad that it has taken me literally 3 months to upload it....but this is probably how busy my life will be from here on out! I don't mind :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGJxnHW3S44&feature=channel_page
Director: Lucy Wells
Cinematographer: Lauren Gabel (Me!)
Its kind of sad that it has taken me literally 3 months to upload it....but this is probably how busy my life will be from here on out! I don't mind :)
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